


A Single Step

by LittleLynn



Series: Body and Soul [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Blackwatch Jesse - Freeform, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Professor!Zenyatta, Shimada family feels, Tags to be added as I go, Teacher-Student Relationship, There will be Plot, and ngl there will be angst too, au where hanzo didn't try to kill Genji, mchanzo side pairing and background reaper76, original overwatch, sort of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-12
Updated: 2017-01-12
Packaged: 2018-09-17 02:47:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9300692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleLynn/pseuds/LittleLynn
Summary: Since Hanzo had struck a deal with Overwatch to protect them from the clan, Genji’s life had changed a lot.He wondered if sometimes there were people that you had to meet, and things that had to happen. If no matter what you did, fate had designs that wouldn’t be disobeyed.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So just to give a little grounding in this au:
> 
> It's an au where Hanzo doesn't think he's killed Genji (you'll find out what exactly went down in a later chapter) and made a deal with overwatch that he would work for them if they agreed to keep Genji safe from the wrath of the clan, so Genji is in semi-hiding in an american college with Jesse assigned as his protector
> 
> Zenyatta is still a member of the Shambali, he's just doing a year as a professor to try and improve omnic/human cohesion
> 
> Other than that, this will actually attempt to sew itself into canon in a lot of ways, especially later on
> 
> Fair warning; this is going to start out as a moderately cheeky, lighthearted student/teacher fic and it is going to turn into something else entirely, but I don't want to give spoilers ;_;
> 
> I would like to give a big beautiful thank you to [sailingonstardust](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sailingonstardust/pseuds/sailingonstardust) who is betaing this <3

 

 _A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step_ ~ Lao Tzu

 

\-------------------------

 

Genji groaned as his alarm rang out sharply, far too close to his ear and far too early in the morning. It took three fumbled misses before he managed to get hold of his phone and turn it off.

Why he had signed up for an eight thirty class this semester was beyond him. He’d had such good intentions, had thought to himself ‘ _ it’s only once a week, I can get up for an early class once a week _ ’.

No.

He couldn’t.

This was hell.

And it was only the first week.

With a deeply put-upon sigh, Genji hauled himself out of bed and padded into his bathroom. Blinking blearily at himself in the mirror, Genji grabbed his toothbrush and set about his morning routine, until he emerged half an hour later slightly more prepared to face the day. He pulled clothes out of the wardrobe mostly at random and got dressed, not caring when something clashed with his bright green hair (honestly what didn’t clash?).

Satisfied that he didn’t look a complete disaster, Genji slung his bag over his shoulder and left his room, walking the full four metres to the next room over and knocking on the door.

There was a loud thud on the other side of the door, probably a bad sign.

“C’mon Jesse, we should at least make it on time to the first class.” Genji whined at the door when it refused to open.

There was another couple of thuds and some unintelligible grumbling on the other side before it was finally wrenched open.

“I hate you,” Jesse scowled at him, rumpled from sleep and buttoning up his shirt, “Why’d ya have to sign up for the earliest class?” Jesse grouched, shutting the door behind him, apparently not bringing so much as a pen with him.

“Sounded interesting,” Genji shrugged, and it had. Philosophy had always been at least a little interesting to him, though he usually struggled to find the patience to really sink his teeth into it most of the time.

That being said, the early wake up the class involved was dulling his interest in it already.

“Nothin’ is interesting enough to justify this,” Jesse grumped, and Genji was inclined to agree with him. They both needed some coffee, that was for sure.

A fond memory then assaulted Genji, making him snort and side eye the grumpy, sleepy cowboy walking next to him.

“Nothin’ is funny this early in the morning either.”

“Oh, I was just thinking about that time you told my brother you were a morning person.” It had been a Saturday, over lunch, Hanzo visiting and frowning at Genji for sleeping away the morning, followed by Jesse insisting that he completely agreed and was a complete morning person himself.

Genji had almost choked on his pancakes he was laughing so hard.

“Partner, for your brother, I’ll be an anytime kinda person,” Jesse announced shamelessly, not that Genji didn’t know that already. He rolled his eyes.

“I’d wish you luck, but you need so much more than that,” Genji grinned, his brother had always been a hard nut to crack. A few inches of solid steel surrounded him, even more so since, well.

Just since.

“I have complete faith in myself,” Jesse replied, flicking his ridiculous cowboy hat up as he did.

Genji had raised an eyebrow when he’d first met Jesse; he was supposed to be being kept hidden at college and Jesse was just about as conspicuous as a person could get. Genji had refused to believe that he was the agent sent to watch over him at first. Jesse was only a couple of years older than him and still wore spurs on his boots, there was no way he was a part of Overwatch.

Well it turned out he was Blackwatch, not that Genji was entirely clear on the difference. Overwatch’s reasoning was that he was the only agent they had at the moment who could pass as a college student. Jesse had spent a lot of the first few weeks grumbling about dud missions babysitting pampered rich boys, and someone called Gabe trying to keep him out of the line of fire.

But however it had started, it had turned out for the best. They got along well. Genji had gotten drunk one night after a few months of knowing Jesse and slung his arms around the cowboy’s neck slurring away asking Jesse if he was really his friend or just doing his job. Jesse had replied in his usual drawl that ‘course he was his friend.

Almost a year later and they’d gotten into trouble with Overwatch, Hanzo, and college together enough times that Genji knew they had a bond. The kind of bond that can only be formed after refusing to drop the other one in it multiple times.

Genji was pretty sure it was the first time Hanzo had scolded Jesse that the cowboy had decided to fall completely in love with Genji’s grouchy brother. Hanzo had been yelling at Jesse for not properly looking out for Genji’s safety after they both got royally shit-faced (Jesse’s words) and forgot to check in on time, but Genji was pretty sure Jesse hadn’t really been able to hear over the hearts in his eyes.

Genji had honestly tried very hard not to laugh at his brother’s frustration.

They dropped into Jesse’s favourite coffee shop on the way to class, Genji ordering and paying for Jesse’s favourite drink and grabbing him a muffin as well, for good measure.

“Forgive me for picking the early class?” Genji asked, batting his eyelids ridiculously and holding out his offerings. Jesse predictably instantly perked up at the sight of food and coffee.

“Yeah, you’re forgiven.” He smiled that over-wide smile of his and took the cup and muffin, immediately cramming half of it into his mouth in one bite.

“If you’re planning on wooing my brother, I’d suggest not taking him on a dinner date,” Genji snickered, watching as Jesse trained an offended look at him, ruined by the way he could hardly shut his mouth - there was so much food stuffed into it.

“Watcha tryna say?” He muffled out around the muffin, making Genji throw his head back and laugh, which had probably been Jesse’s intention all along anyway.

“Come on cowboy, before we’re late,” Genji said, hitching his bag up on his shoulder and heading back out.

“So, what’s this class ‘bout anyways?” Jesse asked as they walked down the street, the muffin a distant memory by now.

“Philosophy, eastern philosophers specifically.”

“What? Genji, you’re killin’ me. There’s a reason I dropped outta school at fifteen, I hate this shit. Prof’s gunna know in a heartbeat that I don’t belong.”

They both knew the reason Jesse had dropped out of school at fifteen and it didn’t have much to do with him not liking it. In fact from what Genji had managed to gather here and there, Jesse  _ had _ liked it, a lot. Life was unfair a lot of the time. Maybe that was another reason his superior officer had sent him on this mission to protect Genji.

The only thing Jesse had had to protect Genji from so far was his own reckless shenanigans and one angry girlfriend (Genji had no idea the guy had a girlfriend, it wasn’t his fault). Not that Jesse had been very good at protecting him that time, he’d been too busy laughing as Genji crashed into Jesse’s dorm room in nothing but his underwear begging Jesse to save him from the furious sorority girl.

“It’s fine Jess, you can just nap and pay someone to write your compulsory assignments.”

“Givin’ me permission to slack on the job?”

“Technically your job is to stop a hair on my head being harmed, not to pass your classes,” Genji pointed out, “or, if you prefer, I can help you catch up what you need to know so that you can actually enjoy the classes.” Genji offered, it wasn’t the first time he had offered to, but Jesse didn’t really answer and Genji hadn’t really expected him to. Genji just hoped that one day he would stop feeling embarrassed and just say yes.

They wandered the rest of the way to the lecture hall, one of the smaller ones the university had to offer, indicating that it wasn’t exactly an oversubscribed course. Probably at least in part due to the early wake up call.

“Who’s the prof?” Jesse asked as they sat down at the back of the rather small lecture theatre.

“New guy, Professor T. Zenyatta.” Genji read off his class schedule. He wondered where the name came from, and if the professor came from the same place.

“New guy? Shit I am so bad at my job.” Jesse groaned, scrubbing a hand over his face and knocking his hat off kilter.

“I’m sure he’s fine.” Genji shrugged, they’d been at the base in Gibraltar over the college break; so naturally Jesse had been spending every free moment trailing after Hanzo like a lovesick puppy, not checking up on professors.

“Still, I’m supposed to run a check on every one of your profs,” Jesse sighed, “I’ll do it soon as we get back, hopefully Gabe won’t know I’m running it a bit late. Last thing I need is him chewing me out.”

“He only does it because he cares.” Genji replied, though he had to admit that Reyes was a scary man when he was pissed off. He’d met him over the break at Gibraltar, the Blackwatch commander had claimed to just be passing through, but Genji had had a sneaking suspicion that he’d actually just shown up to check in on Jesse.

“You sound like Morrison,” Jesse grunted, but Genji could see the tell-tale signs of an almost smile.

It only took a couple of minutes before the professor turned up, and as he came in Genji’s jaw promptly fell to the floor.

“ _ Holy shit _ .” Genji gaped, watching as their professor glided into the room.

Their omnic professor.

“What? Oh are you kidding  _ me _ . The one prof I forget to run a check on and it’s a damn robot.” Jesse looked about ready to smack his head against the desk in front of him.

It was surprising to have an omnic as a teacher The omnic crisis hadn’t ended that long ago, incidents still happened all over the world, and it wasn’t like America was known for being super tolerant.

The other surprising thing was that no one else in the class looked at all surprised that an omnic had just floated his way up to the front of the class.  They looked curious, sure, but not surprised like he and Jesse did.

“They probably sent an email about it.” Genji pointed out, knowing neither of them ever remembered to check their academic mail. It was a problem.

“We should probably go until I can run the check,” Jesse said a little uneasily, but honestly Genji barely heard him, too busy cataloguing everything about the omnic.

His face was silver and gold, with circular blue lights glowing softly on his forehead. His body was slim and long-limbed, and Genji had a feeling that if he were to stop hovering and stand, he would tall. The most eye-catching thing about him had to be the collection of golden orbs slowly circling around his neck, glowing faintly with blue light. He wore a pair of loose muted yellow pants with a red sash around his waist and Genji wondered why he bothered wearing pants at all. Was it a personal preference? Was it for the benefit of all the people wandering around? Was it to feel less out of place?

Genji was intrigued, to say the least.

“Good morning class, I am professor Tekhartha Zenyatta, I thank you all for not letting the early start deter you from this class.” He introduced himself, and Genji couldn’t help but feel that the early start might not have been the main deterrent after all, not that he felt that way himself. Had he known beforehand that the class was going to be taught by an omnic it would have just made him all the more curious anyway.

Professor Zenyatta’s voice was robotic, yet somehow overwhelmingly serene, and his words flowed with ease despite the mechanical aspects of it. It was the kind of voice Genji knew he could listen to for hours without getting bored.

“I am sure you have questions; I believe now would be the best time to ask them.” The professor invited the questions and a lot of hands across the room shot up.

“I heard you’re part of the Shambali?” One girl asked, and Genji vaguely recognised the name and made a mental note to look it up properly later.

“I am. I have taken this academic year away from the monastery to enjoy in this opportunity. We believed it might help ease relations between human and omnic, to have the chance to learn together.”

“So you believe omnics have souls?” Another student asked, and Genji started to remember what the Shambali were, his interest in the omnic further piqued.

“Yes, I know this to be true. We are all one within the Iris. I hope that as well as conversing with you all about the philosophies of the eastern world, some of you may also open your minds to omnic souls.”

“What if we don’t agree with you?”

“I welcome discussion. It is the nature of different souls to disagree.” Professor Zenyatta responded, leaving Genji smiling wryly at his careful wording.

After a few more questions from various students, professor Zenyatta smoothly changed the subject into eastern philosophy, beginning the introduction of their course. It sounded interesting enough, but Genji knew it would feel dull when he would rather learn more about the way the Shambali thought and felt. He wanted to ask how Zenyatta could be sure he had a soul, what he felt and thought that made him so certain. Were there limits to the way omnics could feel?

It was curiosity, not disagreement, that made Genji want to ask all these things, and he was fairly sure professor Zenyatta would welcome the interest. Although, he probably wouldn’t appreciate the fact that Genji had barely heard a word that he had said throughout the lecture. Well, actually that wasn’t strictly true. He had heard it all, letting that serene voice wash over him like a lapping ocean, he just hadn’t taken in anything about eastern philosophy, too wrapped up in thinking about Zenyatta’s own philosophies.

If they had souls could they experience the same range of emotion that people did? Could omnics feel loss? Could they love? Did they lust?

Now there was a thought.

Not that you had to feel lust to have a soul, but now that Genji had thought about it, he couldn’t shake the question and found himself filled with a burning desire to know the answer.

“Earth to Genji! Jeez are you even listenin’ to me?” Jesse managed to break through his musings, Genji still sat in thought while the rest of the class started to file out of the room.

“What? No, why? Were you saying something?” Genji asked and Jesse glared half-heartedly at him.

“I was sayin’ that we – ”

“Do you think omnics can feel lust?” Genji interrupted, and it was terribly rude and he had been raised better than abruptly interrupting people, but he couldn’t help it.

“What?”

“Well according to what the prof believes, omnics have souls. So I was wondering if there was any limit to the range of emotions and feelings they can experience, or if it was just as broad as what humans can feel. And then I wondered if they experience lust.”

“Genji I swear I have stood by you after every booty call, angry girlfriend and late night romp with whatever guy caught your fancy but  _ please _ don’t try to screw an omnic.” Jesse’s voice was equal parts, dread, pleading and amused, it was an interesting combination.

“What? Oh, I wasn’t even thinking about that.”

“Well thank god for small mercies.”

“I am now though.” And help him but he really was.

It was a strange thought at first. He’d always been adventurous in his amorous pursuits, but he’d never even considered an omnic before. Close minded of him, perhaps. But now he was thinking about it and he was far from put off by the idea.

What would it be like? Nothing like a human lover he was sure. Was it even possible? Genji honestly didn’t know, but he wanted to find out.

His eyes started tracking their omnic professor, where he was packing away the few materials he had brought with him and conversing with a couple of students. Attractiveness wasn’t something at the forefront of thought when faced with an omnic, although Genji thoroughly enjoyed his voice. It was strange, trying to consider whether or not a robot was aesthetically pleasing and Genji found that even as he was looking, he had no idea what his answer was.  _ No _ was the obvious answer, but was that simply because it was so different from what he was used to? What if he’d been missing out on an entire world of pleasure and never even knew it?

“Oh no, I know that look. Snap out of it, this can’t be my fault,” Jesse pleaded, trying to get Genji’s attention away from their professor, probably able to physically see the curiosity in Genji’s eyes morph into something with significantly more intent.

“How do you think you seduce an omnic?”

“Genji, partner, please. I’m beggin’ ya here.”

“Given their philosophies, maybe it’s not so different to seducing a human.” Genji thought aloud, tapping one finger against his lower lip, partly because riling Jesse up was funny and partly because it genuinely helped him to think aloud.

“C’mon Genji, forget that he’s an omnic, he’s your prof too.”

“It says nowhere in your mission briefing ‘do not let Genji fuck a professor, omnic, or omnic professor,’” Genji winked at Jesse, who looked caught between put upon and endlessly amused.

“Clearly it should have though,” Jesse objected, chasing after Genji as he practically danced out of the lecture hall and towards town. “At least let me run the damn background check first?” Jesse called after him, Genji barely heard him.

He needed a new outfit.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Comments and kudos are life <3
> 
> Also just a disclaimer: I know literally nothing about eastern philosophy so whatever Zenyatta is teaching won't be written in any kind of remote detail by me :')
> 
> This is part of a series because I will likely write companion pieces either as I go or when I am done, such as things in separate povs, exactly what happened in Hanamura before Hanzo made the deal with Overwatch and possible mchanzo and Reaper76 side stories - but you can also request a companion piece you want to see as we go <3
> 
> Come chat to me on [tumblr](http://shadyanne.tumblr.com/), and if you play Overwatch maybe we can play together!


End file.
